Muellema

Try it. I think they do not accept it. If you bring in as rental equipment they ask for a carnet or you have to pay the tax. I am pretty shure (not 100% but😩) From my point of view not only luck. If you know what is going on, use your brain and a little forward looking, you can minimize the risk getting catched. For surely you will never hit 100% but I think it is worth. Br Markus Just an idea how we handled it. I carried all of our Scuba equipment in a 130l softbag and my camera & lenses in a cabin trolley. My wife carried a suitcase and the housing, domes, flashes.... in a cabin trolley and a small softbag. So I passed customs first and my wife a couple of people later. Idea as already shown here in the forum was that customs might check me with the scuba equipment and my wife could path. Anyway nothing happen and we are 😄

Hi, just arrived 3 hours ago Cancun from Germany. Took precaution and packed all stuff in neutral bags. Travel with the big rigg Nauticam D850, Superdome, Fisheyedome, Nikonos RS13, 8-15mm+++ and strobes. Customs interviewed every person. Me and my wife they just asked for cigarettes and tobacco. We said no and went through custom control with no hassles. Br Markus

Dived Alor two times on approx. 40 dives.. Diving is great. Hammerheads no. Seasnakes sometimes but not much. Did the Batfish disappeared on the pier? We had also a lot also giant frogfish on the pillars. No rhinopias? We had both times many.... Indonesia is not really the place for Hammerheads. I dived several times Banda. You can occasionally see them but it`s no really for photographers. If you wanna have seasnakes go to Manuk. But really busy these days with more divers than snakes. Br Markus

Hi, we will be in Mexico fly in Cancun 02th of October, fly out Cabo on 06th of November. Plan to dive Cozumel/Cenotes for 14 days moving to Cabo and hop on LOB and afterwards dive 1 week La Paz. Any recommondations on dive operators and accomondation in Cancun/Playa del Carmen area and LaPaz. We dived La Paz already but this is over 10 years ago. Cancun/Playa del Carmen area we are newbies. Any hint will help. BR Markus

Hi, had similar problems with brand new UWT TTL Converter on Nikon D850. Tried to troubleshoot everyting with email support from UWT as it happen on a two month holiday in Philippines wihoutpositive result. Was lucky that I had the Nauticam converter as spare with me. UWT replaced the converter to a new one after holiday. The new one is working fine so far. Br Markus

Hi, have/had also issues with the Eneloop Pro`s. See: https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/2425-eneloop-pro-accu-issue/#comment-16297 May be I bought fake ones, but anyway the behaviour of the Pros especially during charging where very strange compared to the white ones used the same charger. Some took a very, very long time (10h) to charge some got very hot. Tried to analyze but no clue what happen as they did`nt show the same behaviour at any times. Br Markus

Own 2 Pro Max since 08/2024. Briefly saying one flash is working flawless, one is from my point of view a nightmare. Causes different kind of issues since beginning. Starting that the new device stop working after approx. 10 dives on a liveaboard in Indonesia until just now wih current problem that I realized during firmware update, that the device only started on 100 power mode after turn on (I realized myself after several trials, because I tried to start on lower power dial level) . Lot"s of email correpondence and discussions in the past and current. Many suggestion from RETRA "Push this button on this dial mode..... if this is not working try that... may be battery cap... on and on and on....) For me funny thing is that all differnt kind of problems happen to same device and RETRA gives me all the time the opinion that everything is ok with the device itself. I"m very very frustrated how RETRA handles the issues. Just unhappy customer.....

I`m waiting for Pro Max VII. Hopefully working more reliable then one of my Pro Max I.

Hi all, interesting thread. Wanna just throw in some of my experience. Dived a lot worlwide in the last +30 years. Philippines first 1999. Last time 2023 for 2 month/ approx. 100 dives. From my point of view Phillipines is still a good spot to visit and very reasonable. Hard to say were to go. Depends on your personal choice, what you wanna see, time oft he year….. Big stuff and coral wall is not really a thing, but still exist if you heading for example to Palawan/Tubbataha, Apo reef.... What I did 2024 : 1. Anilao (mostly Macro) 2. Busuanga (we`ve been north to see the Dugongs, dived El Nido and the wrecks already 2002) 3. Palawan/Tubbataha 4. South Leyte/Sogod Bay (famous for Whale Sharks, but we did`nt do that, but there is also some good reef/macro diving) 5. Anda Bohol (little disappointing, lots of broken coral and bleaching, but some o.K. walls + turtles) 6. Dauin/Negros, still a very very good macro spot 7. Malapascua, The new spot fort the Treshers is amazing. I`ve dived the old spot Monad 2 times in early 2000. Completely different know. Depth arround +/- 15m it looks like the Treshers fly arround everywhere. Malapascua is also still a good macro spot + Mandarin. To see right stuff on place always „go with the locals“. Attached a few pictures all shot in Phillipines 2023. Nothing special just picked a few I found in short time to give you an idea of the diversity you might find. Br Markus

May be RETRA offers Pro Max users update on excisting flash for reasonable price. New flash Max II looks mechanically quiet similar so may be there is only exchange of electronic & reflector necessary (just kidding/dream, they want to sell new ones). Anyway would be a great idea to support underwater photographers in future. Also would be great in relation of sustainability. Getting new updates of hardware in short sequence is quiet anoying. Br Markus

Hi, the Youshiko charger I usually use back home has all kind of modes like different charge modes with more or less power/speed, refresh, test, discharge. But as already mentioned I used only on the diving trip the EBL FY-409 charger. It has only one charge mode. And it took about 6-10 hours to charge the eneloops (imagine arround 60-80% discharged) The charger was delivered and recommended by RETRA to charge the eneloops. Strange imagination if then the charger is the problem. Anyway many thanks for your support. Try also to contact eneloop distributor in Germany. If I get any news will let you know. Br Markus

Whatever, just wanna know what happen. May be can prevent other issues. Br Markus

@Davide DB Hi, any idea were to reach responsible person/body for Eneloop/Panasonic issue in europe? Br Markus

Hi, 3 of my -not too old- Eneloop pros are dead. See pictures. Have 32 of the pro`s (16 bought 2023 and 16 bought 2024) and 32 of "normal white" eneloops (arround +10 years old). Never ever had a issue with the old white ones. All still working. All of the Pros only slightly used on 2 dive trips with not too many charging cycles. At home I charge with Youshiko intelligent charger. During last dive trip I used EBL chargers recommended and supplied by Retra. Realized that sometimes the Pros during charge in EBL got extrem hot. Accus got no contact with saltwater etc.. Any ideas what happen? Thanks Markus

Hi Caolla, looks great. Created myself bumpers for Retra Pro`s. Printed also with TPU. My one look more basic, but they do there work. Can share files amd pictures if someone interested. Br Markus